2015 Volume 34, Issue 4 94
Contents
Editorial
Reflections
Teaching & learning
Research
Curriculum support
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Resource reviews
composed a narrative
set within a shopping
centre which has
mysteriously locked
itself. Four people are
trapped inside, for no
apparent reason. They
create a sort of life
within the world of the
centre and eventually
find a way out. It is never made clear
why these particular people are there,
nor is the reason for the centre being
locked ever revealed. They do attempt
to escape at various times, to no avail;
but ultimately they discover a key card
which enables them to exit. That is it.
The sisters compose and record an
album, Nox writes a story and a young
Target employee dies after weeks of
illness. Unfortunately, the author has
missed an opportunity for composing
an intriguing mystery. S. Pollard
USER LEVEL: Stage 5
SCIS 1705487 Paper $19.99
page into real life in an American city.
References to modern day technology
like Instagram are made, which clearly
indicates the void for certain characters
until they learn to comprehend such
societal advances and amalgamate into
their new setting. This novel would work
well with a Year 9 English class who are
learning to create challenging narratives
that embody complex characters and
sequence of events. J. Duvall
USER LEVEL: Stage 5
KLA:
AC; English
SYLLABUS:
English K–10
SCIS 1712254 Paper $24.99
Helix and the Arrival
POSNER, Damean
Random House Australia, 2015
ISBN 9780857986535
Told with
contemporary
overtones, this
prehistoric story
makes for humorous
reading. Helix, a 13
year old caveboy, is
dreading the Arrival,
the initiation he must
undertake to become
a true caveman.
Forbidden to cross the river to where
the river people live, Helix, his friend Ug
and fierce feminist, Saleeka, venture to
the Dark Side to fetch herbal medicine
for Ug’s father. As the story unfolds
with Stone Age drawings illustrating
the primitive lifestyle of the Rockfall
people, issues relating to rebellious
teenagers and families replicate those
of a modern era. Suggestions of racism
can be detected as the bigger picture
emerges and Helix shames the tribe
into admitting that they have never
even met a river person and that their
suspicion is based on hearsay.
S. Rasaiah
USER LEVEL: Stage 3 Stage 4
SCIS 1710750 Paper $15.99
Percy Jackson and the Titans
curse: the graphic novel
RIORDAN, Rick
Puffin Books, UK, 2014 (Percy Jackson)
ISBN 9780141338262
Percy Jackson and the Titan’s curse has
an engaging plot. Percy, the son of a
god, is the protagonist. Upon receiving
an urgent distress call from Grover, he
immediately prepares for battle against
a half-lion, half-human monster. He
knows he will need his
trusty bronze sword
and powerful demigod
allies, Annabeth and
Thalia, at his
side. This is a graphic
novel adaptation
of the third book in
the Percy Jackson
series. Subjective
interpretation is always a factor in these
graphic novel-spin offs, the dialogue
is almost secondary to the images
in a graphic novel. This is certainly
true for this adaptation which may
disappoint avid readers of the Percy
Jackson books. However, this graphic
adaptation will suit readers needing
support who find adventure stories and
visual literature appealing. C. Emin
USER LEVEL: Stage 3 Stage 4
Stage 5
SCIS 1674159 Paper $19.99
Carousel
RITCHIE, Brendan
Fremantle Press, WA, 2015
ISBN 9781925162141
Some people may enjoy stories in
which little happens or changes; if so,
this is the book for you. Ritchie has